How to Play Music on FaceTime (iPhone & iPad)

Playing music during a FaceTime call lets you share a song, playlist, or podcast with the person you’re talking to. On iPhone and iPad, the simplest way is to start the audio in your music app and then start a FaceTime call — the other person will hear the music through the call, though the quality is compressed. You can also share your screen to let the other person see the music playing, or use the SharePlay feature to listen together in sync. Here’s how to do it.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone or iPad running iOS 15 or later (for SharePlay) — most recent devices qualify.
A music app: Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, or any app that plays audio.
A stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular) for both participants.
Both people need to be on a FaceTime call (not a regular phone call).

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Play Music Directly During a FaceTime Call

Start a FaceTime call as you normally would — open the FaceTime app, tap the + button, enter a contact, and tap the audio or video call button.
Wait for the call to connect. Once the other person answers, you’re in a live FaceTime call.
Open your music app (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.) by swiping up from the bottom to open the App Switcher, or press the Home button if you have an older iPhone, then tap the music app icon.
Choose a song or playlist and press play. The audio will play through the FaceTime call, and the other person will hear it through their speaker or headphones.
Adjust the volume on your device. The other person can also adjust their own volume. The music will be mixed with your voice — you can still talk over it.
To stop the music, just pause it in the music app, or hang up the call.

Method 2: Use SharePlay for Synced Listening

Start a FaceTime call as above.
Open a compatible music app (Apple Music works best; Spotify also supports SharePlay).
Play a song. You’ll see a banner at the top of the screen that says “SharePlay” or “Listen Together”. Tap it.
Confirm the SharePlay session. The other person will get a prompt to join. They tap “Join” to listen in sync.
Control playback together — either person can pause, play, skip, or adjust volume, and both see the same song info.
To end SharePlay, tap the SharePlay icon (the overlapping circles) at the top of the screen and choose “End SharePlay”.

Method 3: Share Your Screen to Show the Music

During a FaceTime call, tap the screen to reveal the controls.
Tap the SharePlay icon (the rectangle with a person icon) — it looks like a rectangle with a person inside.
Choose “Share My Screen”. The other person will see your entire screen.
Open your music app and play a song. The other person will see the music player on your screen and hear the audio through the call.
To stop sharing, tap the red bar at the top of the screen and tap “Stop Sharing”.

Common Mistakes

Using a regular phone call instead of FaceTime — music won’t play over cellular voice calls.
Starting the music before the call connects — sometimes the audio doesn’t route through the call if you start it too early. Wait until the call is active.
Both people trying to control the music at once — with SharePlay, it’s easy to accidentally pause or skip. Communicate.
Not having the latest iOS — SharePlay requires iOS 15 or later. Check in Settings > General > Software Update.
Music volume too low — the other person may need to turn up their volume; also check that your device’s volume isn’t muted.

Tips

Use headphones to avoid echo and feedback, especially if you’re playing music through speakers.
For better audio quality, use a Wi-Fi connection instead of cellular, if possible.
If you want to talk over the music, keep the volume moderate so your voice is still clear.
With SharePlay, you can also share the screen to show lyrics or the album art.
If the other person doesn’t hear music, ask them to check their volume and ensure they’re not on mute.

Troubleshooting

No music is heard by the other person: Make sure you’re on a FaceTime call (not a regular call), the music is playing on your device, and your device’s volume is up. Also check that the other person’s volume is up and their device isn’t on silent.
Music plays but is choppy or low quality: This is often due to a weak internet connection. Try moving closer to your Wi-Fi router or switching to a stronger network.
SharePlay option doesn’t appear: Ensure both of you are on iOS 15 or later, and that the music app supports SharePlay (Apple Music does; Spotify does as of 2022). Also, both need to be in the same country/region for some features.
The other person can’t join SharePlay: They need to tap the “Join” prompt that appears. If they missed it, they can tap the SharePlay icon in the FaceTime controls and select “Join”.
Music stops when you open another app: This is normal if the music app is closed in the background. Keep the music app open or use the control center to control playback.
Echo or feedback: Use headphones or lower the volume. Also, ask the other person to do the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play music on FaceTime with Android users?

No, FaceTime is Apple-only. However, you can use third-party apps like Discord or Zoom to share audio with Android users.

Does the other person need Apple Music to use SharePlay?

No, they just need a compatible app. For Apple Music, they need an Apple Music subscription to listen to full songs, but they can still join the session and hear snippets if they don’t have a subscription.

Can I play music from Spotify on FaceTime?

Yes, you can play Spotify audio during a FaceTime call, and Spotify supports SharePlay on iOS. Just play a song and tap the SharePlay prompt.

Why is the music quality so bad?

FaceTime compresses audio to prioritize voice, so music quality is reduced. For better quality, consider using a dedicated music sharing service or a voice chat app that supports higher bitrate audio.

Can I play music on FaceTime without the other person hearing it?

No, if you play music on your device during a FaceTime call, it will be transmitted to the other person. To play music only for yourself, use headphones and pause the music when you want to talk.

Does playing music on FaceTime use more data?

Yes, streaming music during a call increases data usage. On a limited data plan, be mindful of the amount of time you spend sharing music.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →